Lees-McRae President Lee King and Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) President Jim Morton met March 3 to sign a Memorandum of Understanding creating a new Guaranteed Admission Program between the two institutions.
Students who receive an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science, or Associate of Fine Arts degree and meet the requisite GPA requirements will receive guaranteed admission to all Lees-McRae academic programs.
“This is an incredible opportunity for students who would like to continue their studies after CFCC,” said Morton. “Students who participate in this program will not only receive guaranteed admission to Lees-McRae College, but they will be eligible for significant scholarship funding. This partnership will enable students to move seamlessly to Lees-McRae and to earn their baccalaureate degree without incurring exorbitant debt.”
The reduced cost opportunities available to CFCC students include automatic merit scholarships covering up to 60% of Lees-McRae tuition. Transfer students who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society receive additional tuition discounts.
Kevin Phillips, the vice president for enrollment management at Lees-McRae said, “Lees-McRae College is extremely excited about partnering with Cape Fear Community College. We have several academic programs that will be attractive to Cape Fear students, including our Wildlife Biology, Outdoor Recreation Management, Musical Theatre, and Exercise Science majors. In addition to creating pathways for these on-campus programs, we know that our online degree completion programs will also be of interest to Cape Fear students. The academic offerings at both schools line up well for Cape Fear students looking to move on to their bachelor’s degree, and the scholarships and tuition discounts that are part of this Guaranteed Admission Program will provide a private college education at a very affordable price.”
Phillips emphasized the commonalities between the two educational institutions, particularly regarding the outdoor programming available at both colleges. Students who transfer to the Lees-McRae campus in Banner Elk will be trading the ocean for the mountains, and can look forward to participating in activities like hiking, cycling, backpacking, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, white-water rafting, paddle boarding, and fly fishing. The college’s partnership with Beech Mountain Resort and the Ski Industry Business and Management minor also allow students to get directly involved with a major piece of the local tourism industry.
“This is an ideal partnership for us, and demonstrates our commitment to helping students realize their academic goals,” said Morton. “Lees-McRae is a wonderful college located in a beautiful part of the world. I encourage our students to take advantage of this unique opportunity.”
The agreement will go into effect starting Fall 2021.
To learn more about Lees-McRae and the transfer process, please contact Transfer Admission Counselor Casey Courtney at 828.898.3434 or courtneyc@lmc.edu.